Ivler allowed to undergo another medical exam

MANILA, Philippines—A Quezon City court has ordered jail officials to bring road rage murder suspect Jason Ivler to a government hospital for another medical exam to determine if he is well enough to undergo surgery, if so required.

Judge Luisito Cortez of Regional Trial Court Branch 84 directed the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology to escort Ivler from Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City to the Quirino Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City for the follow-up exam.

Court staff told the Inquirer that the BJMP secured the court order at around 11:30 a.m. Thursday.

“The BJMP said it will bring Ivler to the hospital and the initial report is expected to be submitted a day after,” a court employee said.

During Ivler’s initial hospital visit last week, his doctors performed a colonoscopy to examine his intestines.

Ivler, through his lawyers, has repeatedly asked the courts to allow him to undergo a reversal of his colostomy that would allow him to defecate through his anus and no longer through a colostomy bag.

Doctors performed a colostomy on him a year ago after being wounded in a gunfight with arresting officers inside the house of his mother Marlene Aquilar, sister of folk singer Freddie Aguilar, in Blue Ridge, Quezon City on Jan. 18, 2010.

Ivler was charged with murder in connection with the killing of Renato Victor Ebarle Jr. along Santolan Road on November 18, 2009.

Ebarle was the son of Renato Ebarle Sr., an undersecretary at the Office of the Presidential Chief of Staff during the Arroyo administration.

In his one-page order, the judge ordered the QMMC doctors to submit a detailed report on Ivler’s condition within 10 days.

The subject of whether Ivler will be allowed to undergo surgery has yet to be resolved by the court.

This is aside from the issue of Ivler’s outstanding balance at the QMMC, which his physician, Dr. Romeo Abary, pegged to be at least P250,000.

The court also learned that Ivler has not yet settled the P21,800 for the medical examination done on him Monday last week.

In a separate interview, Cortez said the follow-up medical examination will determine if Ivler’s intestinal infection is healed enough for him to undergo another surgery.

“The defense has committed, however, to report to the court on how it will settle the unpaid bills first,” he added.

The reversal of Ivler’s colostomy is expected to be between P500,000 to P800,000 if performed at a government hospital.